Self-closing strainer.



0. C. VETTERMAN.

SELF CLOSING STRALNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. ms.

. Patented Deb. 31, 1918.

INVENTOR' WITNESSES ATTORNEY m: nolns rtrzls m. runmunm. wAsnlncmu. n. c

OTTO C. VETTERMAN, OF PINGREE GROVE, ILLINOIS.

SELF-CLOSING STRAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

?atented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed May 15, 1918. SeriafNo. 234,727.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO C. VETTERMAN,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Pingree. Grove, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Closing Strainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to strainers for use in connection with milk receptacles, and particularly to self-closing strainers, having for its primary object to generally simplify and improve the construction and operation of such devices as well as to increase their efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strainer which is capable of being applied to receptacles having mouths of various sizes, and which operates automatically when the liquid within the receptacle has reached a predetermined height to shut off the strainer to preclude the passage of liquid therethrough.

Further objects reside in providing a device of the character mentioned which is of extremely simple and improved construction, which is positive in operation, which is composed of but few simple and readily assembled parts, all of the said parts being constructed and arranged in such manner as to minimize the opportunity for Wear or breakage, and which will prove thoroughly practical and eflicient in use.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a strainer constructed in accordance with the invention, the closing valve for the strainer being shown in open position,

Fig. 2 angles to is a similar view taken at right Fig. 1, and showing the positions the parts Wlll assume when the valve is in.

closed position, and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the improved strainer.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 4 indicates generally the strainer with which the improved apparatus is used, the said strainer comprising a body formed of thin metal, open at both ends, and having its side walls tapered inwardly toward the lower end. The body or bowl 4 adjacent the lower end thereof is constructed so as to provide an inwardly projecting flange 5, from the outer ends of which depends a vertical substantially short wall 6. The lower end of this wall is flared outwardly as at 7, and constitutes a valve seat. A strainer 8 of any approved construction may be in serted within the tubular body 4 and rests,

as shown, upon the inwardly projecting flange 5.

The valve used in connection with a strainer body of this character for automatically shutting off the flow of liquid through the strainer when a predetermined liquid level in the container has been reached, is indicated at 9. This valve is provided at its upper end with a reduced neck portion 10, conforming in shape and size to the restricted opening defined by the depending walls 6 of the strainer body, and the said float or valve has divergent side walls 11 adapted to rest against the, walls 7 of the body when the said valve is moved up wardly. If desired, the divergent walls 11 may be provided upon their exterior surfaces with suitable packingindicated at,12, in order that a tight seat of the valve against the walls 7 may be provided. The valve member 9 is extremely light, so as to float upon the liquid within the receptacle. The valve 9 has extending upwardly therefrom, and preferably at points diametrically opposite, rods 13, which rods extend loosely through suitable apertures in the flange 5 and also in the flared wall 7. These rods are connected at their upper ends by a cross rod or bar 14, so that both rods will move in unison. It will be observed that the vertically disposed rods 13 are inclined outwardly above their lower extremities, so that they will rest upon the divergent side walls of the bodyt when the valve 9 is in lowered or open position. The rods thus limit the downward movement of the valve, and it is obvious that upward pull applied to the connecting bar 14 will cause the valve to move upwardly and into engagement with the seat provided by the walls 7.

A support 15 extends across the upper open end of the strainer body, and is secured thereto by the spring clamp members 16 at its ends. These clamp members snap over and firmly engage beneath the annular bead at the upper end of the strainer body, so that the support is 'firmly held in proper position upon the said body. Hinged as at 17 upon the support and intermediate the ends of the latter is a lever 18. It will be.

observed that the lever is hollow throughout its length, and has its ends closed. A rolling weight, such as a lead ball 19, is confined within the hollow lever-18, and is free to roll within the said lever in either direction,

accordingly as the lever 18 lnchned.

position shown in Fig. 1. This'movement of the lever causes the valve 9 to be forced downwardly or in open position. Liquid poured into the strainer body will pass through the strainer 8 and into the receptacle, and when the liquid level within the latter has reached the valve 9, the latter will float upwardly into close engagement with the seat 7 of the strainer This upward movement of the valve causes the rods 13 to move correspondingly, whereupon the lever '18 is tilted. Just as soon as the lever passes beyond the horizontal, the ball l9 therein will roll to the. free end of theleve-r, causing the said free endto' move downwardly and to firmly bind the valve 9 in engagement With the seat 7. Any liquid whichmay then be the bowl-portion of the strainer cannot pass int'ojth e receptacle, and will remain confined within the strainer until the valve 9- has been moved away from the seat 7. The arm 18-operates not only as a means for assisting in controlling the movements of the valve", b'utalso as an indicating means to apprise those using the strainer when the receptacle is filled.

From the above it is obvious that I have provided a strainer which is of extremely simple construction and is capable of performing its functions wholly automatically. The various parts are so constructed and arranged asto enable the strainer to be read ily sterilized when required, and the said ous changes in the minor details'of construction, proportion, and arrangement of parts maybe t d to if desired without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim 1; In combination, a body having in.- wardly inclined downwardly extending walls, the said body being provided at its lower end with a valveseat, a valve adapted to move into or out of engagement with said seat, rods connected to said valve and eX tending upwardly upon the interior of said 1 body, the upper portion of said rods' being inclined outwardly equal to the degree of inclination of the said funnel walls and being adapted when the valve is at the lowest point of its travel to rest upon the inclined walls of said body, and means for raising or lowering said rods.

2. In comblnation, a self-closing strainer comprising a body having downwardly and inwardly inclined walls adapted to be inserted in the mouth of a receptacle, a valve seat at theloWer end of said body, a wall projecting into the body a short distance and around the same above said valve'seat, valve rods secured to the sides of said valve and extending loosely through the said wall, the said rods above the said Wall being in clined outwardly'at an angle equal to the inclination of the side Walls of said body,

and means at theupperend of said-body for moving said rods vertically;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses. V

oTTo o. VETTERMAN.

Witnesses:

ETTA MoI'sLIivG, Josnri-r M. MANLEYZ Qopi'es offthis patent may'be' obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents; i Washington, D. 0. 

